ubuntu-advertising team mailing list archive

[alan c <aeclist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 16/12/10 12:33, Barry Drake wrote:
> I asked a friend who's still a Windows man to take a look at our scripts
> Wiki.  He came up with the following rather caustic note:
>
> "It seems to me that nobody has really got a handle on Ubuntu: perhaps
> starting with a definition might help.
>
> I rather like this from http://www.ubuntu.com/project/about-ubuntu
>
> "Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others'. It also
> means 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The Ubuntu operating
> system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers."
>
> and this from http://faq-guru.blogspot.com/2007/11/ubuntu-faq.html
>
> "What does "Ubuntu" mean?
>
> Ubuntu is an African word, which has been described as "too beautiful to
> translate into English". The essence of Ubuntu is that "a person is a
> person through other people". It describes humanity as
> "being-with-others" and prescribes what "being-with-others" should be
> all about. Ubuntu emphasises sharing, consensus, and togetherness. It's
> a perfect concept for Free Software and open source."
>
> "It's the inter-humanity-connectivity, stupid!," as Bill Clinton might
> have said.  It's difficult not be be caught up in cliches: a close up on
> a smiling face, then a zoom out to show lots of happy people; a shot of
> the world map with lines connecting every country; etcetera, etcetera."
>
> Maybe he has a point?

When displaying at a FLOSS table and a curious newcomer asks
'What does Ubuntu mean?' I just say it is an
'African word which relates to Community'.
'OK', they say, and are quite happy. If I explain chapter and verse I 
see their eyes glaze over and I get marked down as slightly odd. And I 
am already seen as slightly odd by offering 'free' software......

I have sometimes found that adding a comment about 'sharing and 
caring' is useful, if they are more interested.

The meaning of Ubuntu is wide and subtle, and advertising does beg for 
brevity and clarity. A South African came past the table one day and 
knew what Ubuntu really meant but did not know about the software, and 
that was interesting.
--
alan cocks
Ubuntu user